JNR Product Owner at Lesaka Technologies

About the Role

• We are looking for a Product Owner to join our growing product organisation and help translate product strategy into clear, actionable delivery plans.
• The Product Owner plays a critical role in bridging business goals with technical execution - ensuring that our development teams build the right features, in the right way, at the right time.
• You’ll collaborate closely with Product Managers, Engineers, Designers, and Business Analysts to manage the product backlog, refine requirements, and deliver high-quality product increments that drive measurable impact for our customers and business.

Key Responsibilities

Product Delivery & Execution

• Translate product strategy and high-level requirements into detailed user stories and acceptance criteria.
• Own and maintain the product backlog - ensuring it is prioritized, groomed, and aligned with business objectives.
• Act as the primary liaison between product management and the development team to ensure clarity and alignment on requirements.
• Participate actively in Agile ceremonies - sprint planning, backlog refinement, reviews, and retrospectives.
• Ensure timely and quality delivery of product releases in collaboration with Engineering and QA.

Stakeholder Collaboration

• Partner with Product Managers to understand the product vision, roadmap, and success metrics.
• Engage with business stakeholders to gather feedback, clarify priorities, and communicate delivery progress.
• Collaborate with UX/UI Designers and Business Analysts to ensure user stories and designs are well-defined and actionable.

Quality & Testing

• Validate developed features against acceptance criteria to ensure requirements are met.
• Support User Acceptance Testing (UAT) and coordinate bug triage and resolution with Engineering.
• Advocate for continuous improvement in product quality and user experience.

Operational Excellence

• Maintain up-to-date documentation of product artifacts (user stories, workflows, release notes).
• Monitor release performance, adoption, and user feedback post-launch to inform future improvements.
• Contribute to refining internal Agile and product delivery practices for greater efficiency.

What Success Looks Like

• Well-prioritized and managed backlog that aligns with strategic goals.
• Clear, concise, and testable user stories that lead to efficient development and high-quality outputs.
• Strong cross-functional collaboration and clear communication between product, design, and engineering.
• On-time and high-quality delivery of product increments with measurable business and customer impact.

Skills & Qualifications

• 4+ years of experience as a Product Owner, Business Analyst, or similar role within a technology or digital product environment.
• Strong understanding of Agile/Scrum principles and software development lifecycles.
• Experience managing product backlogs and writing detailed user stories and acceptance criteria.
• Proficiency in Jira, Confluence, and related delivery tools.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Technical aptitude to understand APIs, data flows, and system dependencies.
• Detail-oriented with excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.

You’ll Thrive in This Role If You…

• Are passionate about building products that create real customer and business value.
• Excel at balancing strategic priorities with day-to-day execution.
• Communicate effectively across technical and non-technical teams.
• Thrive in a collaborative, fast-paced, and evolving environment.